The internet has changed everything in our world, and that includes parenting. The fundamentals remain the same of course, in that we have to ensure that we provide all the support and love our children need, while at the same time giving them the lessons and skills that will prove invaluable in their later life. What has changed, however, is that we can now use the internet to aid us in these essential parenting tasks and choosing the right online activities to share together can give your kids a wide range of benefits while cementing those all-important child-parent bonds.
Educational Websites
Giving your children a great education is the best gift you can give them, and as a parent you have just as much of a part to play as the teachers at their school. Whilst traditional books still have an important role in your children’s education, the internet can be even more useful. There are a whole host of websites that are designed to provide education for children while at the same time being fun. That’s important because when your kids enjoy learning they’ll want to do it more and more. It’s also a great way to teach your children about computers and how to use them, which will be an essential skill as they grow up.
Visual Jokes and Memes
One of the joys of childhood is that you can find humor in almost anything, and we all love to see our kids smiling and hear them laughing. Acting around and telling bad jokes is part of the fun of being a dad, but you can also share in their sense of humor by looking at fun websites together. There are lots of age-appropriate websites out there that are designed with younger viewers in mind, as well as fun interactive game sites. Look for websites that have lots of funny memes, as this is very much in trend and is sure to appeal to your children of all ages.
Watching Their Favorite Shows
When we were young, we loved to watch our favorite cartoon shows on television, but we had no way of choosing when and where to watch them. That’s all changed, and websites such as YouTube now allow children, and adults, to watch much-loved cartoon series at any time to suit them. It’s amazing how quiet children go when they have a tablet in their hands showing a cartoon, music or kid’s drama show, but they’ll enjoy the activity, even more, when mom or dad is sat right alongside them and watching it too. Of course, you’ll need to make sure that parental control settings are in place before allowing your children to surf the net themselves.
Today’s children can have the best of both worlds: traditional fun such as storybooks, dolls and teddies, and bicycles, as well as all the online fun that the internet can provide in the form of education, fun, games, and streaming websites. At the heart of it all, however, one thing remains the most important thing to a child, just as it’s always done: the love of a parent.